Network Security

    

    Information and system security is important for individuals and organizations because it consists of various strategies and tools that identify, prevent, fight, and document threats to digital and non-digital information devices. Most businesses and individuals have information that needs protection. Businesses, hospitals, and governments are at risk because they handle massive amounts of sensitive information. That includes financial accounts, social security numbers, medical information, national security secrets, and more. Individuals aren’t immune, either. If you have any information on your system (passwords to bank accounts, social security, retail websites, etc), you’re vulnerable.  

There is an attack called the ping of death that can be executed using the ping command. The ping command is usually used to test the availability of a network resource. It works by sending small data packets to the network resource. The ping of death takes advantage of this and sends data packets above the maximum limit (65,536 bytes) that TCP/IP allows (Williams, 2023).  Since the sent data packages are larger than what the server can handle, the server can freeze, reboot, or crash. Another attack is called a ping flood. A ping flood is a denial-of-service attack in which the attacker attempts to overwhelm a targeted device with ICMP echo-request packets, causing the target to become inaccessible to normal traffic. 

There are many security incidents that can take place and make a computer system vulnerable. Security holes or vulnerabilities can commonly be found in operating systems (Vahid and Lysecky,2019). A security incident means a potential breach has occurred and that your organization’s data and systems are compromised. Vulnerabilities gain control of networks because of weak passwords and network features left in admin mode. Issues with a network’s hardware or software can expose possible intrusion by an outside party. Examples may include insecure Wi-Fi access points and poorly configured firewalls (Convocar,2022). Another security incident that can threaten computer systems is phishing.  

Anyone who uses a computer connected to the Internet is susceptible to the threats that computer hackers and online predators pose. These online villains typically use phishing scams, spam email or instant messages and bogus websites to deliver dangerous malware to your computer and compromise your computer's security. Attackers create a familiarity with the person from whom they're trying to get information. An example of this would be to inform the person about a new security policy for password compliance. Later, they call back to verify compliance and ask the user what password they chose (Villadiego, 2017). These attacks are usually spotted too late. Sometimes it’s the customers, not the company, who discover an attack.  In order to protect a computer system from vulnerabilities, a user should update their operating systems often and create strong passwords for everything they need to sign into that requires a password. To protect a computer system from a phishing attack, a user should be aware of what phishing emails can look like. They should look for grammar mistakes, misspelled words, and if what the email is offering sounds too good to be true. Top internet browsers also allow you to customize them with an anti-phishing toolbar. Such a toolbar typically runs a quick check on any site you visit and compares it to all known phishing sites. The toolbar alerts you every time you stumble upon an untrusted site. 

Network security is vital to maintaining the integrity of your data and the privacy of your organization and employees. It encompasses everything from the most basic practices, such creating strong passwords and fully logging out of community computers, to the most complex, high-level processes that keep networks, devices and their users safe. More and more sensitive information is stored online and in these various devices, and if an unauthorized user gains access to that data, it could lead to disastrous results. Network security is the key to keeping that sensitive information safe, and as more private data is stored and shared on vulnerable devices, network security will only grow in importance and necessity. 

 

 

 

 References 

Williams, L. (2023). What is a DoS Attack and How to DoS Someone [Ping of Death]. Guru99. https://www.guru99.com/ultimate-guide-to-dos-attacks.html 

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2019). Computing technology for all. ZyBooks. 

Convocar, J.M. (2022). What is a Security Vulnerability? (Definition, Types, and Remediation). Intelligent Technical Solutions. https://www.itsasap.com/blog/what-is-security-vulnerability 

Villadiego, R. (2017). The Dangers Of Phishing. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2017/09/14/the-dangers-of-phishing/?sh=600658e85078